---
While Michael was busy talking with his friends on the school playground,
unexpectedly, a ball headed toward him
and violently hit his face.
In an instant, his nose burst with blood, and a stunned silence swept over everyone before panic erupted.
The students looked toward the source of the incident,
and there stood the team captain, George, waving his hands nonchalantly and saying in a rushed voice: "Ah… sorry! I just wanted to shoot… but the ball drifted into your face."
Chloe rushed quickly toward Michael,
holding him in her arms, trying with her hands to stop the blood flowing from his nose.
Fear and worry were clear in her eyes, while Michael remained silent.
He watched her tension and the intensity of her reaction.
Feeling she couldn't control the situation, she decided to take him to the clinic immediately.
Michael walked behind her in silence, his eyes following every step as he watched Chloe…
who was walking fast yet cautiously, afraid his bleeding would worsen.
Upon arrival,
Michael sat on the patient chair
while Chloe started looking for the nurse,
but she couldn't find anyone.
She didn't hesitate for a moment and decided to treat him herself.
She brought the medical equipment, her hands trembling like a little child holding first-aid tools for the first time.
Michael gently reached out to hold her hands and said with a reassuring smile: "Don't worry, I'm fine… why are you so scared?"
Chloe couldn't hold back her tears and burst into tears,
her tears falling onto his face.
Michael spoke nervously as he wiped her tears: "Chloe… you're not the reason for this… why are you crying?"
Chloe replied in a broken voice: "I… I just couldn't bear seeing you in pain in front of my eyes…"
Michael smiled calmly, trying to soothe her: "I'm fine, Chloe… don't worry."
Chloe let out a soft laugh as she continued treating his injuries, feeling a strange warmth filling her heart.
Suddenly, someone who was sleeping on the nearby bed moved.
She got up quickly,
heading toward them.
The curtain opened to reveal Lavinia in a chaotic state:
her hair disheveled, drool dripping from her mouth, and two bandages on her knees.
Michael and Chloe's hearts trembled, and they shouted at the same time: "Monster!"
She walked toward them in quick steps and said: "Where… where is he?"
Michael said resentfully: "Damn it! You scared me… I thought you were a monster!"
Lavinia replied with explosive anger: "Monster… me… damn… to hell with you!"
She approached him,
grabbed his head with both hands, and said in a sharp tone: "Who did this to you, you idiot?"
Michael replied as he tried to pull away: "Ah… get away! It's just a hit from the ball…"
Lavinia laughed mockingly: "Oh, is that so!"
Then she turned toward Chloe and said with a smile: "Hello, Chloe… how are you? It seems Michael gave you a hard time today."
Chloe answered shyly: "Hello… uh… no, it's not like that."
Suddenly, Lavinia grabbed Michael with both hands and started messing with his hair, so Michael shouted: "Stop it… you giraffe!"
Lavinia said sarcastically: "You look stupid when you're injured!"
Chloe looked at them with deep sadness, then said in a faint voice: "I'm leaving…"
Michael said in confusion: "Wait, Chloe!"
She answered quickly as she walked away: "I remembered… I have something to do… see you later."
When the door closed,
Chloe's tears began to fall on their own as she whispered to herself: "What a fool I am… I know I have no chance… and yet, I fell in love with him."
Chloe remembered her first year,
when she used to watch Michael from afar on the field amid the cheerleaders' screams…
And even outside the field, whenever she tried to get closer to him, Mira and Lavinia always hovered around him.
Despite the rumor linking him to Mira and that he was dating her,
Chloe noticed that Michael always gave special attention to Lavinia, smiling whenever she came to the field and joking with her repeatedly.
Chloe realized then that Michael loved Lavinia,
yet she nominated herself to be the captain of the basketball club,
just to see him up close and talk to him.
---
In the locker room…
George stood changing his clothes,
remembering Chloe's sad expression over Michael.
He slammed the locker violently, causing everyone to look at him in shock, but no one dared to ask.
He said to himself angrily: "Damn it… I'm jealous of that idiot… why does she love him? I'm much better than her."
George had great popularity at school, with his masculine appearance,
his blond hair, his bright green eyes, and his wealth that combined all desirable traits:
intelligence, beauty, and money.
Even though he was known for his many relationships, dating at least five girls a month,
his eyes were always fixed on one simple girl: Chloe.
But Chloe's eyes were on Michael, which made him hate Michael intensely,
especially for his skill and ability to steal the spotlight from him.
In the clinic,
Lavinia stood watching Chloe as she left.
Then she turned to Michael and said: "I think she loves you, boy."
Michael's eyes widened in shock and he said: "Impossible!"
Lavinia answered with a sly smile: "Oh yes… she does… I understand girls."
Michael replied in annoyance: "Enough… nonsense."
Lavinia said: "But… Michael… she's a beautiful and wonderful girl, kind… she's your type… I think you two…"
She suddenly stopped talking,
looking stunned,
as if she had realized something unexpected she wasn't ready for, her gaze mixed with shock and fear.
Silence began to fill the room…
while Michael stared at her in confusion.
She remembered something...
---